After the first two special stages held at night, including the iconic passage on the Col de Turini in the scenery of the Maritime Alps, the best time is for Ogier in a Toyota Yaris who is 6”7 behind Loeb’s Ford Puma. On Friday the second stage with three timed trials
The script of the first day of the Monte Carlo Rally, the first act of the WRC 2022 World Championship, immediately proposes the challenge most awaited by all fans, the one that opposes the French Sébastien, Ogier and Loeb, 17 world titles in two. At the end of the first two special stages, at night, Thursday 20 January, the fastest is the reigning champion Ogier, on a Toyota, who is 6”7 behind the “Cannibal” on the Ford Puma. Third was Welsh Elfyn Evans on the Yaris GR Gazoo Racing, 11 ” 2 behind. Overall, the new Rally1 hybrid cars on Thursday evening were the protagonists of a 38.45 km challenge against the time trial in the two special stages staged after sunset. Fourth and fifth are the two Ford Pumas of the M-Sport team respectively with Adrien Fourmaux (+ 17 ” 9) and Gus Greensmith (+ 21 ” 9).
RALLY Montecarlo: FIRST DAY
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Mostly dry asphalt and a few portions made slippery by ice the leitmotif of the first two special stages. From the first kilometers on the shields the reigning world champion Sébastien Ogier, in a Toyota GR Yaris Gazoo Racing, who finished first the PS1 “Luceram / Lantosque” (15.2 km), 5 ” 4 behind his compatriot Sébastien Loeb, at the steering wheel of Ford Puma M-Sport, and 9 ” 3 teammate, Welsh Elfyn Evans. The Ford Pumas were very fast, closing the first quarter fourth with Gus Greensmith (+ 12 ” 3), fifth with Craig Breen, at the start of the first “full-time” season (+ 13 ” 2), and sixth with Adrien Fourmaux (+ 13 ” 7). Forced to chase, however, the Hyundai Motorsport team with the three i20 N respectively seventh with Thierry Neuville (+ 15 ” 9), eighth with Oliver Solberg (+ 22 ” 3) and ninth with Ott Tanak (+ 22 ” 4 ). On PS2 “La Bollène-Vésubie / Moulinet” (23.25 km) which includes the passage over the famous Col de Turini, Ogier confirms himself as the man to beat: the Frenchman from Gap precedes Loeb by 1 ” 3, Evans third. At the end of the day, the first Hyundai is that of Neuville, sixth at 28”5.
RALLY MONTECARLO: SECOND DAY
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The first round of the WRC 2022 World Rally Championship in Monte Carlo restarts on Friday 21 January with a program that includes, overall, 97.86 km of special stages. For the crews, the theater of the six special stages scheduled is the Mercantour National Park in the north-west of the Principality. Start from 9.14 with the PS3 “Roure / Beuil” 18.33 km long (the second passage in the afternoon for the PS6 from 2.16 pm), then at 10.17 the PS4 “Guillaumes / Péone / Valberg” of 13.49 km (traveled again for the SS7 from 3.19 pm), and from 11.35 am to the start of the SS5 “Val-de-Chalvagne / Entrevaux” of 17.11 km (theater of the last part of the day, the number 8, from 4.37 pm).
Montecarlo: THE PROGRAM
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The four days of the Monte Carlo Rally that opens the WRC world championship season will be completed on Saturday 22 January, with a program that includes 5 special stages (92.46 km) in the Alpes de Haute Provence: the first of the day will start at 8.17, the last fraction from 3.16 pm. Grand finale on Sunday 23 January with the return to the Maritime Alps (67.26 km), when the entered cars will run on four stages including the final “Brianconnet / Entrevaux” valid as Power Stage.
January 20 – 10:41 pm
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